September 22, 2005

Tramp Stamp

I don't have any tattoos, nor is there an even remote possibility I ever will. It's just not my thing. But hey if you're into them, by all means, indulge. I'll admire the artwork and reserve the right to cringe at the ugly ones.

I read something somewhere the other day that referred to a tattoo as a "tramp stamp." That phrase doesn't sound particularly complimentary to me, yet it made me giggle. The particular reference was to a large tattoo across a woman's lower back.

I wonder. Does any tattoo qualify as a so-called "tramp stamp," or just one on a woman's lower back? Is it derogatory or neutral or welcome? If it is welcome, why is it welcome? Is it widely used? Generational? Ethnic? Geographical?

These things I'd like to know. Because my brain obviously isn't full of enough useless trivia already.

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25 comments:

That's funny. Probably called that because it's worn by women who generally wear their sexuality well - in order to see the lower back tattoo you must wear low cut jeans and a short top.Every girl I ever met who had one thought they themselves were sexy, and in the strange world of sexiness, therefore WERE sexy.

SO funny that you wrote about this. Alicia and I were having this same discussion about a week and a half ago. I too was highly amused and curious about the "tramp stamp" designation and what qualifies and doesn't.

The thing is that it has to be really LOW on the back (like...more the top of the butt than the bottom of the back), and the middle of the tat generally points down further, intimating - not so subtly most of the time - that the lady who has it is a tramp.

hey now.. I have a butterfly tattoo on my lower back and I am in no way a tramp. It makes me feel sexy, true, but I don't wear excessivly low jeans or short tops to show it off. If it gets shown, it gets shown... it's not on purpose. : )

Here in Illinois it is widely termed tramp stamp. The term is used for many of the things already said. Lower back tattoo that is fun to look at while doggy or while watching on the dance floor. Many use it to draw attention to the "Badonkadonk". Just felt like putting some location to the term

I read that in "Stuff" Magazine this month, about the Tramp Stamp. I have to agree, though, the women who have this particular type of marking are a little "easier," moreso because the tattoo location is just plain sexy, rather than a personality trait. It gets them a little more attention, they feel sexier, and are more amorous than most.

most of the girls I've met with the tramp stamp are white trash whores. I'm sure that 5 years or so ago,a few nice girls got one just to be cool or in style and regret it,but they're not the ones who bend over every time a guy's standing behind them and show off their thongs. I''ve never heard anyone call the "tramp stamp" sexy,they just think the girl's proud to be a slut.

I have a tattoo of an angel and gargoyle in the area that you all are referring to. I am a married woman of 14 years and got it about 3 years ago and definitely didn't get it to be termed "easy". I truly think it is sexy, and so does my husband especially when we are in the doggy position. I didn't get it for him, I got it for me! Yes it does make for an interesting conversation piece ifI have on a bikini or am bent over and my shirt comes up a bit.

So while I don't take offense to it being called a "tramp stamp" cause I am sure there are trashy women that have them, I do take offense to the fact that "all women who have them are tramps" which isn't true!

I am a 34yo single mom and about 3 years ago I finally decided on the design for my new tattoo. I had been researching various designs for a couple years prior. I have a large butterfly with tribal designs and 3 chinese calligraphy symbols. I placed it on my lower back due to the proximity of the lower chakras. In no way do I consider myself a "tramp" and very few people actually know it is even there. Does it make me feel sexy? Yes. Did I put it there for the attention others may show me? No.

i see some gals are a little offended by the term tramp stamp. Don't take it personal. I don't think anyone truly believes that every girl with a lower back tatoo is a tramp. But most will agree that girls that get lower back tatoos are not virgins.

The reason the term has a bit of harshness to it is b/c it has become very, very, very cliche to get a tatoo there. It is almost expected nowadays. Tramp stamp was on my mind today (thus why I googled it and came across this blog) b/c I was on campus for the first day of classes today and it is very hot prompting most girls to wear skimpy clothing. And I can say with confidence that 90% of the girls had a tramp stamp.

Bottomline, if you are a 18-22 year old looking for your first tatoo, be more original.

Tramp Stamp is what it is and what it means. Tattoos for the most part ar for losers who all think they are being different, what they don't get is they are all being differnt in the same way. Any chick that gets a tramp stamp is a slut whore or a wanna be slut whore. No matter what you say you wear a tramp stamp you lowered your own bar, Stupid Bitch.basswithchops@hotmail.com

Tramp Stamp is what it is and what it means. Tattoos for the most part ar for losers who all think they are being different, what they don't get is they are all being differnt in the same way. Any chick that gets a tramp stamp is a slut whore or a wanna be slut whore. No matter what you say you wear a tramp stamp you lowered your own bar, Stupid Bitch.basswithchops@hotmail.com

I came here to research my next painting. My work is very research- oriented. Immediately, I felt inexplicably shocked and appalled by the statements and views I have found here. It has become overwhelmingly clear to me that our current collective sexual politics are in dire need of examination.

i've been married for almost 8 years and never been with anyone before that. i just got my first tattoo, can you guess where it's at? that's right on my lower back and i didn't get it to offend anyone. i got it because it was something that i wanted for a long time to cover up a few strech marks that i had from having my two kids but was a little scared of the pain, but i am proud that i got it and to be frank it looks damn good on me. it's a really turn on for my husband too, so you can call it a lower back tattoo or a tramp stamp, but i think if someone wants to get one who cares what it's called.

The only possible reason i'd get my tattoos to stand out, is to stand out from the prudes who hate them.I get my tattoos to fit in - to fit in with other people who also like tattoos.Culturally, this is what tattoos have always been - visible symbols of your culture.

If you think they need to be an original statement, i don't care. My skin obviously isn't competing in your pretentious dick measuring games.

People who have lower back tattoos might be more "easy" - i agree with this. But that's just because prudes would not get such a tattoo. Take any group of people - remove the prudes - the non-prudes that are left over are going to be "easier".So the term "tramp stamp" really says more about the "prude" demographic than anyone else.